Field
Various features relate to the thermal management of a tightly integrated semiconductor device, system, and/or package.
Background
FIG. 1 illustrates an example of a tightly integrated semiconductor device 100 (also be referred to as a system and/or package) found, in the prior art. Examples of tightly integrated semiconductor devices include System in Package (SiP) and System on Glass (SoG). As shown in FIG. 1, the semiconductor device 100 includes a packaging substrate 102 and several dice 104-108. The first die is a processor 104, the second die is a first memory 106 and. the third die is a second memory 108. The processor 104, the first memory 106 and the second memory 108 are stacked on top of each other. Specifically, the processor 104 is on top of the packaging substrate 102 and is electrically coupled to the packaging substrate 102. The first memory 106 is on top of the processor 104 and the second memory 108 is on top of the first memory 106. Each of the memories 106 and 108 are electrically coupled to the packaging substrate 102, Typically, the processor 104, the first memory 106 and the second memory 108 communicate with each other through electrical connections in the packaging substrate 102. The packaging substrate 102 can be a laminate material and/or a glass material.
As shown in FIG. 1, each of the dice 104-108 has different operating temperature tolerance ranges. For example, the processor 104 has an operating temperature tolerance between −40° C. and +125° C., whereas the second memory 108 has an operating temperature tolerance between 0° C. and +70° C.
Typically, each die regulates it own operation based on (i) temperature readings from temperature sensors and (ii) its own temperature tolerance. That is, each die regulates its operation based on temperature measured from temperature sensors and independently of other dice. However, thermal sensors take up valuable space/real estate in a tightly integrated semiconductor device, such as a SiP or SoG. Moreover, in a tightly integrated semiconductor device, the heat from one die may affect other nearby dice. Thus, for example, when the processor 104 operates at a temperature near its higher temperature tolerance range (e.g., +125° C.), the second memory 108 has to shut down because this temperature is too high for the second memory 108, which has a high temperature tolerance of only +70° C. Thus, it is apparent that regulation based only on a die's own temperature tolerance does not address the thermal problems in a tightly integrated, semiconductor device, system, and/or package.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved method for thermal management in a tightly integrated semiconductor device, system, and/or package, such as a SiP and SoG.